Configuring computing devices using a template

A computer-implemented method for configuring a plurality of computing devices to perform data backup operations in which data of the computing devices are backed up to a backup system, the method comprising:

• i. building a template that specifies at least one computing device property and backup control information relating to backing up data to a backup system;
• ii. provisioning a plurality of computing devices to use the template to become configured, according to respective configuration data, to backup data stored in the plurality of computing devices to the backup system in accordance with the template;
• iii. changing the template responsive to receiving input information from a user interface;
• and
• iv. in response to the changed template, determining whether or not the changed template would affect an ongoing backup operation of at least one of the plurality of computing devices,
• when the changed template specifies a modification of the at least one computing device property, which does not affect the ongoing backup operation, then the modification is applied to set the respective configuration data of the computing device without waiting for the ongoing backup operation to complete, and
• when the changed template specifies a modification of the backup control information, which does affect the ongoing backup operation, then determining a modification type of the backup control information, wherein the modification type is one of:
• no change, only a backup policy has changed, only a backup rule has changed, and both a backup policy and a backup rule have changed, and the modification is applied, to set the respective configuration data of the computing device which configures a backup agent in the computing device, only after waiting for the ongoing backup operation to complete.